Sticks, bug hunts and stargazing - 50 things kids should do before they turn 12

Diane King

Published:15:30Thursday 28 July 2016

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Climbing trees, building a den, hunting for bugs and going stargazing are among the ‘bucket list’ items that children should be ticking off - before they get to the age of 12.

The National Trust has listed 50 things for children to do before they’re 11 ¾. Among the other suggestions are finding frogspawn, going swimming in the sea and cooking on a campfire.

Some of the items hark back to the childhoods of the parents of today’s pre-teens, such as playing pooh sticks, while ‘rolling down a really big hill’ may be a preferred option for cash-pressed parents than ‘learn to ride a horse’.

And playing conkers, ‘hold a scary beast’ and ‘canoe down a river’ are suggestions which, in today’s more health and safety-conscious climate, may require some adult supervision.

The survey also found that nine in 10 parents would prefer their children to spend more time connecting with nature.

Today’s youngsters spend around four hours a week playing outside - half the amount of time outdoors that their parents did. However, 83 per cent of mothers and fathers did believe that it was important that their offspring learned to use technology.

National Trust ranger Ed Anderson said: “This summer, we want to inspire kids and families all over the country to get outdoors, grab their perfect stick and kick start their story with nature.

“With the natural environment under pressure, we hope that instilling a love for nature in our children now will help us encourage them to continue to protect the beauty of the great outdoors for years and generations to come.”